Re: [orca-list] Is Linux suitable for non-programmer/computer scientists?

[Jason White <jason jasonjgw net>]

James AUSTIN <james londonsw15 gmail com> wrote:
 
> Reading the list suggests that a great deal of command line knowledge and
> complicated bits and piece are involved in Linux, even after all of this
> time.  I'm not exactly a command line newbie, but many of you are far more
> conversant than I am. 
>
> Do any of you have  any suggestions where I might start if I did decide to
> jump on the Linux band wagon please? 

William E. Shotts, Jr., The Linux Command Line,
http://www.linuxcommand.org/tlcl.php (book available as a PDF file) is an
excellent introduction that doesn't assume any knowledge of Linux commands or
of programming.

My suggestion would be to get a working and accessible Linux installation,
then take your time to learn it properly before you start using it for
important work. Remember that there's always more to learn and that you can do
it at your own pace as your needs and desires evolve. Having an attitude which
recognizes that learning it will be fun and interesting should help, too.

There are Linux users who don't take the time to learn the command line or how
to use a text editor. Then they run into problems of one kind or another and
their lack of background knowledge makes for a very frustrating experience,
even more so if they're trying to get important work done in a hurry. I feel
sorry for those people and I would suggest trying not to become one of them.
Linux is not for everyone and probably never will be. That's fine, but it may
just be the right system for you. People discover Linux and like it, or
they're introduced to it in their work or education. That's how the community
grows.